“Of course you can know them. You must come and see them so soon as ever they come. But you must tell me your name so that I can tell them about you.”
“My name is Howard Ellis, but that name isn’t any use now. Everybody calls me Brevet since I and the Captain here have grown to be such friends. It means kind of an officer in the army, and when I grow up I’m going to West Point and learn how to be a real officer, and not just kind of a one at all. But till then everybody’s going to call me Brevet. And now what is your name please, and the children’s, because I want to tell my grandnana all about you?”
“Well, my name is Mary Duff, dear, and the children are named Bennett—Mary and Teddy and Allan and Gertrude Bennett.”
“Oh, are two of them boys?” and Brevet’s face was radiant. “I haven’t had a boy to play with ever hardly, but I s’pose they’re older boys than me,” he added, a little crestfallen; “almost all boys are.”
“Well, Teddy is not very much older, just a little, and Allan is just about your age I should say. Never you fear, Brevet, you’ll have beautiful times with them all, I know.”
“When shall I come then?” wishing to have matters very definitely arranged. “Do you think they would like to have me here to help them feel at home right off at the very first?”
“Well, I should not wonder but they would like that very much indeed.”